Supporting New Parents in a New Home

One after another, Jesus launches superheroes from the top of their fortress, exclaiming as they hit the carpet below. This curly haired toddler speaks a mix of Spanish and English; a welcome development for his mother, Luz Nairin, who was worried her son wasn’t speaking at all about a year ago, at the age of two. She credits his language progression to Melissa, an early childhood home visitor from the RefugeeOne Wellness Program.  

“Every two weeks I tell my son that it is a special day,” Luz Nairin said in Spanish, “I tell him the teacher is coming!” 

That “teacher” has visited this Venezuelan family regularly for the past year. While it might look like a play date, Melissa is monitoring Jesus’ development, carefully charting milestones related to speaking, problem solving, regulating emotions, movement, and more. She brought books and activities when she noticed small delays in language development. When Jesus started having tantrums, Melissa and Luz Nairin discussed and practiced coping strategies to find what works best. 

RefugeeOne launched its home visiting program in 2016 to assist immigrant and refugee parents with children ages 0-3. We now have 10 home visitors trained to identify issues that could benefit from intervention and provide guidance for positive change. The team supports more than 100 families throughout Chicago, all of them rising to the unique challenge of raising kids in a new country. 

“To have someone be there and walk alongside you in parenting creates a sense of connection, which can improve a parent’s mental health,” explains Rae Reed, Early Childhood Coordinator at RefugeeOne. “When parents’ mental health is supported, they can better support their child’s development.” 

Families of young children can feel a sense of isolation, and when you’re learning to navigate life in a new place—often without the familiar support of extended family or a friend group—that loneliness can feel overwhelming. Families also are experiencing increased anxiety due to recent immigration policies and ICE enforcement. 

A sense of connection and a safe person with whom to share needs and concerns is a welcome lifeline. 

Melissa and Luz Nairin converse in Spanish, one of 10 languages our home visiting team speaks. Home visitors come from similar cultural backgrounds and experiences as the families they serve, which helps create a foundation where trust can develop. 

It’s quite common for parents to see home visitors as “part of the family” in this program that’s about relationship building. RefugeeOne staff hear out parents’ concerns, then collaborate on solutions, instead of dictating what should be done.  

Luz Nairin feels she has gained knowledge and confidence about her child’s development while also making a friend. “I didn’t expect to create a relationship like we have,” she says. 

When Jesus turned three, he aged out of this program. On one of their final home visits, Luz Nairin grew sad, telling Melissa, “We will miss you.”  

But their relationship isn’t over. There are opportunities for Jesus in RefugeeOne’s Youth Program, and the Wellness Program has a variety of spaces where newcomer families can connect and learn. Luz Nairin planned to join a Wellness Program book club for Spanish speakers, so as her son grows up, their community can keep growing as well.